Family Picnic at Kaka’ako Waterfront Park

This past weekend we gathered at Kaka’ako Waterfront Park for a birthday picnic for SIL1.

SIL2 brought lumpia, mochiko chicken, and fried chicken from Tanioka’s in Waipahu.

Here’s everybody’s favorite, spam musubi…

… and potato mac salad, and nishime from Gulick Delicatessen, and garlic edamame and spicy ahi poke from Foodland.

Hubby baked delicious cupcakes for the birthday girl, and we enjoyed a beautiful day of flying kites, grass sledding, and just hanging out at the park. We don’t get snow here in Hawaii, but the kids sure had a blast blazing down the steep hills of Kaka’ako Waterfront Park on their cardboard sleds.

Beach Picnic

Living in Hawaii means you’re never more than a short walk or drive away from gorgeous sandy beaches and blue waters. That equals loads of fun on the cheap on the weekends.

This past weekend hubby and I spent the day at San Souci Beach with SIL 2 and the kids. After a picnic lunch of musubis and fried chicken, we swam in the ocean and got gunned down by our nephew armed with a water gun. Repeatedly.

Then, SIL2 and I spent the rest of the time critiquing impressive beach bodies and spotting cellulite and fake boobs. What? You know you do it too.

I made shiso and takana musubis, shoyu hot dogs, potato mac salad, and watermelon. SIL2 brought inari sushi, fried chicken, and lumpia from Tanioka’s.

Off the Wall Restaurant Bar & Catering

The spot for this month’s dinner with the girls was the Pearl Kai Shopping Center at a small restaurant called Off the Wall. The  cuisine can be best described as a fresh take on local style Japanese and Okinawan comfort food. The vibe of the place is youthful, warm and friendly.

We started off with Crab & Artichoke Wontons ($6.00) with a creamy filling

and BBQ Spiced “Hapa” Fries ($7.00) – sweet potato and regular fries served with a mustard dipping sauce.

Ahi Poke Salad with a light kimchee dressing that my friend loved and wanted to purchase.

Tofu Salad ($6.00)

Tempura Shrimp Club Temaki ($3.50)

Kimchee Ahi Temaki ($3.50)

Okinawan Yakisoba ($9.00) made with thick and firm Okinawan soba noodles and lots of veggies.

Shoyu Pork Miso Okinawan Soba ($7.50)

Fresh andagi anyone?

In addition to the traditional Andagi ($0.85 – for those that don’t know, it’s like a very dense fried cake doughnut), they have several variations including the Anda-dog ($4.50) which is a corn dog but with andagi batter. I tried the Shoyu Pork Andagi ($3.00) which is an andagi topped with shredded shoyu pork and some of that sweet shoyu sauce. The perfect combination of sweet and salty.

And of course the decadent Chocolate Filled Andagi ($2.00) to end our meal.

With our stomachs full, we rolled out of Off the Wall and headed to Starbucks to continue our gab-fest.  I love trying new restaurants, and I’m so glad we tried Off the Wall. And we get to do it all over again next month. Until then, ladies!

MENU: View the menu on their website.

Off the Wall Restaurant Bar & Catering
Pearl Kai Shopping Center
98-199 Kamehameha Highway, B-10
Aiea, HI 96701
808.486.9255

Tue-Sun 2:30p-9:30p
Closed Mondays

Yama’s Fish Market

I picked up lunch at Yama’s Fish Market for some friends and met them at their workplace for a picnic lunch break.

Yama’s is one of my favorites for take-out Hawaiian food and fresh poke. I usually get their full Hawaiian plates with lomi salmon, poi, haupia, and poke so they run over $10.00, but I didn’t realize how reasonably priced their regular plate lunches are. Other than one tiny table outside, they don’t really have a place to sit down and eat so it’s the perfect place to get take-out on your way to the beach or a beautiful park.

Lau Lau Plate ($5.85). For anyone who doesn’t know what lau lau is, it’s pork (or chicken and/or fish) inside taro leaves wrapped up in ti leaf and steamed until it’s melty soft.

Yama's - Lau Lau ($5.85)

and a side order of Chicken Long Rice ($2.50)

Yama's - Small Chicken Long Rice ($2.50)

Kalua Pig Plate ($5.85). What a value for this heaping pile of kalua pig!

Yama's - Kalula Pig Plate ($5.85)

Mochiko Chicken Plate ($6.45) served with sweet chili sauce. I was surprised because I thought they gave my friend chicken katsu instead of the mochiko chicken she wanted, but she said that’s how their mochiko chicken is. It’s crusted with panko which is unusual to see.

Yama's - Mochiko Chicken ($6.45)

My Ahi Poke Patties Plate ($6.45) with sweet chili sauce, one of their specials for the day. I wasn’t sure what I’d be getting, but these panko-crusted ahi poke cakes (limu and all) were delicious. I thought they might be seared rare but FYI, they were cooked all the way through.

Yama's - Ahi Poke Patties ($6.45)

It was a cheap but most delicious lunch! Click here to view the menu on their website.

Yama’s Fish Market
2332 Young Street
Honolulu, HI 96826
808.941.9994
Mon-Sat 9:00a-7:00p
Sun 9:00a-5:00p